The Diego Diaries: PsyOps 12
-0-Television studio in New York City, New York, Earth
"That seems sort of harsh. I think the little black robot is cute," Penelope said.
"To each their own. We were around them. This is what we think about it," Johnson said as Hedges nodded. "We don't find them natural. Their lifestyles are unnatural. They don't have feelings like we do. You look at them and they look at you. You wonder what they see. They're machines. What do they feel? Anything?"
"We've had a lot of video of them on Mars, of their life and how they live. They seem relatable. I don't find them too weird but then I haven't been around them," Penelope said.
"Maybe if you met them, those two twin things ... you might have a different opinion," Johnson said.
"The twins ... Sideswipe and who?" Brian asked.
"Sunstreaker," Hedges said. "That sucker is psychotic. He would just as soon tear you to confetti as look at you. He's the worst of the worst. Everyone on Diego is afraid of him. Everyone walks around him like he's a land mine. He's got a thing going with that winger, the one that's somehow related to Prowl."
"That's a strange relationship. There's three of them in it, the winger and those two psycho twins," Johnson said. "I heard from friends that they have kids too. What the hell is that all about?"
"We are talking about aliens here," Penelope injected.
"And we're also talking about our solar system. Ours," Hedges replied.
Penelope turned to the camera. "We'll be right back with Jim Johnson and Sam Hedges after this break."
The screen turned to a commercial.
-0-Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, USA
"WHAT THE FUCK!?"
-0-White House, Washington, D. C., USA
"WHAT THE FUCK!?"
-0-Elysee Palace, Paris, France
"MERDE!"
-0-No. 10 Downing Street, London, England
"BULLOCKS!"
-0-General Glenn Morshower's den on his day off
"!$#% &%$ #! GET ME THE PENTAGON! #&%!"
-0-Warren Robert's office, New York City, New York, Earth
"Hold my calls, Lilly until I speak with Optimus. Call Sam to come and tell him that we need a news black out until we figure out what we are going to do. I want everyone in here. I have a call to Autobot City and I want it on conference. Nancy, I want you to keep the record of the meeting. All of us are on a 24/7 black out to everyone including ourselves until the plan of action for this is made," Warren Roberts said to his grim faced frightened staff.
They ran like the wind to make it so.
-0-Sam Whitwicky
"I hear you. I'm on my way," Sam said. He clicked off his phone and went back into the trade meeting. Pausing to gather his gear, he looked at the people present. "A problem has arisen and I have to go back to the office. I apologize. I hope we can reschedule to finalize the decisions made so far and work out the art agreement. The Art Guild on Mars will be needing authorizatin for artists to show their work here. I'm sorry about this." He then turned and hurried off to the office downtown.
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
They stood in a silent group as if afraid to make a sound. Optimus stared at the screen aware that messages were being accummulated at the comm station. He waited stoically for the commercial to end and then it did.
-0-Teevee show, NYC, NY, Earth
"We're back with Jim Johnson and Sam Hedges."
The two men sat together comfortably and relaxed. Brian, the male host looked at ease and Penelope, the main host turned to them again. "You have mentioned the Prime. Tell us what you know about him. Did you see him very much? Did you witness his actions or behaviors?"
"Sure," Johnson said. "He used to walk from the Embassy to the communications hangar everyday to brief with the heads of governments, armies and intelligence agencies. They did business with the rest of the world that way. He'd come out of the Embassy for missions and board a robot ship. The one called Cosmos and eventually Silverbolt and the others ... the Aerialbots they're called would be used for missions."
"Did you ever go on a mission with them?" Brian asked.
"No. We were gone before then. They would come and go. Prime hated Jason Daniels. He treated the mercenaries like crap. They were banned from coming around and they never made any attempt to get to know them. I did. I liked them," Johnson said. Hedges nodded. "They said the mercs were giving them a hard time."
"There are documented investigated incidents where the mercenaries and even Daniels were found in the wrong," Penelope said.
"That's the government for you. They covered it up." Hedges sat back. "I saw them giving a hard time to the mercenaries when they didn't do anything. That big one ... Ironhide ... he's a real bastard. He went around looking for a fight. What you know about them and what actually happened on Diego are two different stories. Why do you think they have a PR firm? Why do you think they do things through Warren Roberts? They are controlling information and the government is helping them."
"How is it that there are no complaints on file from the two of you? How is it that there are lots of soldiers that have a good relationship with them, like Will Lennox and Robert Epps?" Penelope asked.
"Those two suck ups?" Johnson said with a smirk. "Those two are the biggest frauds. They decided they didn't like us from the start and let the Autobots treat us anyway they wanted. They let those twins almost kill us."
"Don't you think that since the Decepticons have attacked us at least twice and have been defeated twice that the alliance with the Prime and his people benefits us? After all, they do fight the Decepticons and have told us they were willing to continue," Brian asked.
"They would be gone if the Autobots left. They will follow the Autobots wherever they go. As long as they are here, we are going to be vulnerable," Hedges said. Johnson nodded. "These freaks have to go. They need to take their weirdness with them. The sooner the better."
"Do you think what happened in San Francisco will spread?" Brian asked.
"I know it will," Johnson said nodding. "We aren't the only ones who feel this way. I am betting that a majority of Earth's people feel the same way." Hedges nodded.
"Thank you, Jim Johnson and Sam Hedges for coming on the show." Penelope turned and smiled at the camera. "When we get back, we will show you how to make the most of your Thanksgiving leftovers."
The camera cut to a commercial.
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
"Happy Thanksgiving."
Everyone turned to Ratchet. His aura was crap and his expression one of great grief and anger. Prime turned and squeezed Ratchet's shoulder. "I'm sorry."
"I am too. That I didn't behead them when I had a chance. They gave you up, Optimus," Ratchet said looking up at the bot who had eaten more shit than any of them in his dealings with humans. His patience was good but Optimus's was legendary. "I'm sick for you. And Prowl," he said glancing at his subdued BFF. "And Ironhide. But mostly Orion. And the whole slagging sorry mess of us. Those fraggers!" Ratchet continued as he wound himself up.
Prime snorted and grinned for a moment. "Thanks, Ratchet."
Ratchet looked at him and nodded. "You're welcome."
He turned and looked at Blaster who was on shift at Communications. He held out a datapad filled with messages. "Optimus, tell us what you want us to do, you and Prowl. It will be done."
Prime took the datapad and squeezed Blaster's arm. "I know. Thank you. Please alert the Embassy at Diego Garcia and the office in New York. They are incommunicado for the duration. The rest of us? I think it might be wise to recall the military staff at the new fort and gather everyone else in the conference room. We have to sort this out."
They all nodded and made it so.
-0-At Fort Apache
Alor listened to the message and glanced at Ironhide and Blackjack who were deep in conversation with a construction boss. He considered the notice he had been given and tamped down a towering rage. Turning, he walked to the group. :Optimus has recalled us. There's a development on Earth that requires our attention:
:Did he say what it was?: Ironhide asked.
:He wants to tell us there: Alor said. He watched as Blackjack turned to the boss and gave him the go ahead on the problem at servo. Then the three walked back to a battle shuttle to leave. It was airborne before Blackjack broached the subject at servo.
"You going to tell me what you're keeping back?" he asked his bond. Ironhide sitting beside him looked at his Ada quizzically.
Alor looked at both of them, the serious expression of his bond and the comical expression of his son that he loved and shrugged. "Prime has been outed on the Earth."
It was silent a moment. "Slag," Ironhide said quietly.
-0-On the ground
They arrived and hurried to the Fortress entering quickly, heading for the conference room where everyone sat grim faced. Blackjack entered followed by Alor and they took their seat on the right side of the room. Ironhide feeling Ratchet's awful energy since re-entering their planetary space looked at him pointedly. :What's going on?:
:Optimus will tell you: Ratchet said as Ironhide sat beside him.
Optimus sat a moment then looked at the three. "There was a television program that had Jim Johnson and Sam Hedges on as guests."
"Those two losers who were kicked off the striker team trials for being bigoted afts?" Ironhide asked. His genitors looked at him. "A long story. I'll send you the video. They aren't on our side to say the least."
Optimus nodded. "They aren't. They discussed Diego Garcia and told them about me down to the tips of my finials."
It was silent, then Ironhide leaned forward. "They did what?"
Optimus vented a soft sigh and nodded. "They had a number of remarks. The easist thing I suppose is replaying the tape. I do want you to contain yourself," he said looking pointedly at Ironhide.
The big bot regarded him, then looked at Ratchet. Both he and Prowl were silent and their energy fields were terrible. "What's going on?"
"You need to watch and contain yourself, Ironhide," Ratchet said. Ironhide looked at him for a moment, then nodded uneasily. "Alright."
"Please play the film, Blaster," Optimus said.
He did.
-0-Warren Roberts's office, NYC, NY, Earth
Sam entered and sat nodding to everyone in the room. They looked grim and so did Morshower and the Vice President of the United States whose faces occupied split screens on the huge wall monitor. Roberts nodded to Sam and returned to the conversation. "I am on standby now, General, Mr. Vice President. Optimus is discussing this with his senior staff. I wish I could convey the seriousness with which the Autobots are taking this matter. The Diego Embassy is on lock down and so is this office."
"I wish I could convey the size of my butt hurt too, Warren," Morshower said with anger. "These two bastards broke their confidentiality agreement that they signed for special ops. I have the General Counsel's office looking into the legality of their actions and I expect a report shortly. I will forward a copy to the White House and to you as Prime's designated representative."
"Thank you, Glenn," Warren said nodding. "Now we wait."
-0-Conference Room, Autobot City, Mars
The film ended and the room was quiet. The kind of quiet you feel when you're buried in a mine cave-in two miles into the Earth. It was the kind of quiet you felt when you were being electricuted by 10 million kilowatts of electricity as it strikes the ground from two miles up in the clouds. It was the kind of quiet you felt when a dog looks at you without blinking and its lip starts to curl.
That kind.
Ratchet didn't dare look at Ironhide. It was a good thing too.
=0=TBC
2012 (11)